Ukraine calls on NATO to prepare sanctions for possible Russian invasion

Ukraine is calling on NATO to prepare sanctions in response to a possible Russian invasion amid Moscow's military buildup at the border.

Ahead of the second day of NATO's foreign ministers meeting in Latvia, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter that he looked forward to calling on allies to prepare a "comprehensive deterrence package."

He also said NATO should boost its military cooperation with Ukraine, Reuters reported.

"We are confident that if we join efforts, if we act in a coordinated fashion, we will be able to deter President [Vladimir] Putin and to demotivate him from choosing the worst-case scenario, which is a military operation," Kuleba added, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

Ukraine is not a member of NATO, but the alliance has been vocal about its concerns that Moscow will invade Ukraine like it did when it annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday there would be a "high price to pay for Russia" if it uses force against Ukraine.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken similarly said that "any renewed aggression" on the Kremlin's part would trigger "serious consequences."

Russia has denied any plans to invade Ukraine and has said it is Kyiv that has aggressive intentions.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that Kyiv has deployed half its army to Donbass, where Moscow-backed rebels have been fighting government troops, Reuters separately reported.

"We cannot take any measures to de-escalate," Peskov said "This raises our fears that sentiments [in Ukraine] in favor of a military solution to the Donbass problem could prevail."